For Sellers

Blog for people interested in selling their business.

Feb 3 - I have made a good living for my family from our small business for years. It is time for me to retire and I would like to sell. My tax return shows a small profit. Does this mean I will not be able to sell at a good price?

I routinely sell businesses for individuals in the same position. Your tax returns should be done to show as little taxable profits as possible. My specialty is showing buyers how the business will … more
Apr 4 - We want to sell our business but have real concerns about people knowing we are for sale, privacy involving our finances and business practices and getting involved with the wrong buyer. What can we do?

There are legitimate concerns. As a professional business broker I have specialized in confidentially selling businesses for over 20 years. I require purchasers to sign a confidentiality and non- … more
May 23 - We are considering selling our business to an individual who wants to give us 40% down and a note for the balance. We are retiring and need to make sure we get paid. What do you recommend?

Purchasers rarely walk away from substantial down payments. Most seller-financed transactions that I broker are between 25 and 50% down. I do not recommend a seller take less than 25% down. A well- … more
JUL 7 - I would like to sell my small business, which is doing about a million per year in sales. I am concerned that this may not be a good time to sell.

Northwest Florida due to our beautiful beaches and recreational opportunities, clean air and great climate is a destination area. People want to live here. In addition to that everyone needs reliable … more
Sep 21 - I want to sell my business and I want to make sure I am choosing the right business broker for the job. What would you suggest?

Choosing a good business broker takes some common sense and asking the right questions. How many businesses has he sold? How many of those were actually his listings? What are his marketing methods? … more
Oct 3 - What does allocation of the sale price mean when selling a business?

The Internal Revenue Service requires that the various assets (both intangible & intangible) be given a value when a business is sold for purposes of determining tax owed by the seller and … more
Nov 8 - Is there a rule of thumb to determine the value of a business?

Within specific industries there are certain simple methods that when applied are useful in determining the approximate value of businesses. At best these simple formulas or rules of thumb are a good … more
Dec 5 - What is a business broker?

A business broker specializes in the sale of established businesses and in many instances the commercial real estate on which the business is located. A business broker in the state of Florida must … more
Jan 16 - When is the best time to sell my business?

The best time to sell any business is when the business has shown a proven track record for profitability for at least 3 previous years with the year-to-date numbers showing comparable or better … more